


"I Love You."

by silverskyfullofstars



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Multi, Not a Sherlolly fic, Post-Episode: s04e03 The Final Problem, molly is a strong independent woman, molly is good, sherlock is a danger to the furniture, sherlock's not doing great
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 15:22:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11255655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverskyfullofstars/pseuds/silverskyfullofstars
Summary: My first fic on AO3 and one of my first BBC Sherlock fics.After TFP, an emotionally distressed Sherlock goes to visit Molly Hooper to apologize about the video call from Sherrinford.





	"I Love You."

Molly Hooper was in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. She knew who it would be; he'd tried to call her thirteen times in the few weeks since the first phone call. Remembering how painful it was, she'd ignored them. But now, here he was, and as hurt and confused at she felt, Molly Hooper could never turn Sherlock Holmes away.

The minute the door opened, his bright blue eyes met hers. He looked better, but still different. Ever since Mary's death, when he'd nearly lost John, Sherlock had been slightly sadder, more emotional, and his cheeks and chin were dotted with stubble that was never there before that night in the aquarium, except when he was -  
But he wasn't. He wasn't on drugs, he wasn't dying, and he wasn't out of Molly's mind yet. As much as she wanted to forget, she knew she couldn't. She'd never be able to forget Sherlock, and now here he was, making her job even harder.

"What are you doing here?" Molly could see the pain in his face, guilt at what he knew he'd done.  
"Molly... I'm sorry. More than you could ever know." He looked so sad, so remorseful, but all Molly felt was anger.  
"How could you?" She pulled him inside angrily, slamming the front door. "You... you must have known. Wasn't it obvious?"  
She knew she was mocking him now, but he deserved it. She'd loved him, and he'd brought her nothing but heartbreak.  
"Molly, I didn't know. I've never been good with other people's feelings. I thought it was just a crush, an infatuation. I was wrong, and I'm sorry."  
"You... didn't know? You're telling the truth?"  
"Yes."  
"Then why? Why make that call, why do that to me?"  
Sherlock raised his head and looked straight at her. "I was told you were about to die."  
"What?" Molly was speechless. She didn't know anyone alive who would want to kill her, and why would Sherlock ask her to do that if she'd been living her last moments?

"My... sister," he said, as if the words pained him, "told me there was a bomb rigged in your flat. I had only a few minutes to save you, and only if I got you to tell me you loved me."  
"Why not just tell me I was in danger? Why not tell me you were in danger? I would have done it in a heartbeat."  
"She wouldn't let me. Eurus has a mental problem... I don't know why, but it's like she's trapped in her mind. The psychopath comes out, and she forced me, John, and Mycroft to solve puzzles, horrible puzzles that ended in death. I know what I did, though, and I had no excuse."

All of this was hard for Molly to process, but she believed him. She'd always believed Sherlock Holmes. It was what came with loving him, but love or not, she'd always trust him.  
"Sherlock?"  
"Yes, Molly?"  
"Why was it hard for you? I know why I almost couldn't say it, but you've faked emotion before."  
"I... I don't know why. Why did you ask me to say it first?"  
"I know it sounds silly, but I wanted to hear you say it. I thought that if I told you the truth, you'd leave. I wanted to hear you tell me you loved me in case I never saw you again. Even if it wasn't real."

Sherlock was silent. Molly thought she'd disgusted him, until she looked closer and saw the tears forming in his eyes. His beautiful face was a mixture of emotions - sadness, guilt, but also thanks. As if he'd never heard or would hear something like that again.  
"Molly, I... I don't know... ARGH!" Suddenly switching from sadness to anger, Sherlock spun around, slamming his fist into the back of Molly's sofa.  
"I'm sorry if I broke that. Molly, you're making this hard, I don't know what I'm supposed to say or do, I just don't know!"  
"Did you... you didn't..." Molly didn't dare hope, but something in her heart fluttered a bit. "You didn't... mean it too?"  
"I don't know, Molly, I've never known!" 

Pacing back and forth, he ran his fingers through his curly dark hair, standing it up on end. "If it was anyone it would have been you or John but I'm just not sure." He suddenly collapsed, crumpling into a sitting position against the wall. "Molly, I'm still not sure I know completely what love is. I do know, however, that there are only two people who I could ever consider giving mine to in the romantic sense. Either John Watson, or you, Molly."  
"Sherlock..."  
"I'm sorry if I broke your heart. I didn't know at first, I didn't know how much I meant to you until the phone call."  
"Sherlock, it's ok."  
"But it's not. Eurus... she had your coffin ready. It was standing next to me the whole time I was talking to you. Once you hung up... I couldn't take the pain of what had just been handed to me. I smashed the coffin. It may still be there, back at Sherrinford."

Molly took a deep breath. "Sherlock, I'm not sure I completely understand. I'm not sure I'll ever fully understand. But thank you for telling me. If you decide it's John you really love, I think I can let go of you."  
"Molly, I can't ask you to do that. That's cruel. I came here to tell you that if you love me that much, I might... maybe I can learn to love you that way too."  
Molly was crying now, but she managed a laugh. "Oh, please, Sherlock. I've seen the way you two look at each other. John loves you, and I'll be happy seeing you love him. Don't worry about me. I'll get through this, and I'll always be there for you."

Sherlock was crying too now, but they were both smiling. Molly stood, pulling him to his feet. "Go on. Love John. He needs it just as much as you do."  
Without warning, Sherlock pulled Molly into a tight hug, pushing her face into his chest and wrapping his arms around her. "Thank you, Molly. I think I can safely say I'll always love you, even if it's not the way you thought it would be."  
Molly stood there with Sherlock for a long time, breathing in his scent and drawing comfort from his presence. Even once he left, she could feel him there. She looked around her flat, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Finally, after all those years, Molly Hooper gathered her courage, released her emotions, and let go of Sherlock Holmes.


End file.
